Wednesday, April 18, 2007

view from upstairs

The oil paintings of Scott Smith and Shannon Kennedy complement each other nicely. Their two person show at the Upstairs Gallery is full of contrasts: Smith's small still-lifes have a spontaneous, sketchy quality and everyday subject-matter, while Kennedy's larger figural-architectural dramas have a meticulous, classical balance and a stage-like feel. Largely eschewing overt narrative or symbolism, both artists appear primarily concerned with the problems inherent in putting together a painting. With the exception of Smith's Kevin series, all of the artworks in the show are officially Untitled. However, the others are listed with informal secondary titles; I'll use those instead.